Album Review

Method Man's third solo work, following 1998's uneven Tical 2000 (and released a month after Ghostface's Pretty Toney Album), arrived with many conflicting rumors and circumstances attached to it. On the M2 program Spoke 'n' Heard, Meth informed journalist/host Touré that Tical 0 is his best record, and alluded to being boxed in when working with one producer and one sound. Around the same time, the official Wu-Tang website reported that the MC was not pleased with the version Def Jam opted to put out, due to its scant number of RZA productions — one single cut, when an entire record's worth was allegedly put together throughout the past couple years. Whatever the circumstances might be, there's no doubt that Tical 0 is less penetrating than Tical 2000, a record that had its ambitions to retain interest during the lulls. This one offers brief bursts of okay-to-decent tracks. The most energizing moments typically come when Meth's supported by the likes of Busta Rhymes ("What's Happenin'") and Ludacris ("Rodeo"), but the productive conveyor belt of guest spots — which chucks out well over a dozen of them, including Missy Elliott, Raekwon, Kardinal Offishall, Chinky (not Chingy), and soon-to-be fellow sitcom star Redman — also weighs down the whole process. Likewise, the list of producers comes pretty close to being lengthier than the list of guest MCs; this makes the record seem unfocused and disjointed, not diverse and well-rounded. Meth seems more clear-headed than ever, possibly a result from his cleaned-up, family-oriented lifestyle. (The lyrical matter, however, does nothing to reflect this change.) His throaty rasp isn't nearly as doped out as it was a decade prior, but his personality remains an attraction. As an MC, he's had nothing to prove for quite some time. Give or take a couple hot tracks, this release is not likely to play a significant role in his legacy.

Biography

Born: 01 April 1971 in Hempsted, NY

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap

Years Active: '90s, '00s, '10s

Method Man was the first solo star to emerge from the groundbreaking Wu-Tang Clan. His mush-mouthed, sandpaper-rough bellow (at times recalling EPMD's Erick Sermon) and imaginative rhymes easily made him one of the most recognizable, unpredictable MCs in the group, yet his flow was more deliberate and laid-back than the Wu's resident loose cannon, Ol' Dirty Bastard. On his solo records, Method Man developed a persona that swung from offhand, understated menace to raucous stoner humor. Toward the...